TWELFTH NIGHT.-This play is in the graver part elegant and easy, and in some of the lighter scenes exquisitely humorous. Ague-cheek is drawn with great propriety, but his character is, in a great measure, that of natural fatuity, and is therefore not the proper prey of a satirist. The soliloquy of Malvolio is truly comic; he is betrayed to ridicule merely by his pride. The marriage of Olivia, and the succeeding perplexity, though well enough contrived to divert on the stage, wants credibility, and fails to produce the proper instruction required in the drama, as it exhibits no just picture of life. JOHNSON.

There is great reason to believe, that the serious part of this comedy is founded on some old translation of the seventh history in the fourth volume of Belleforest's Histories Tragiques. Belleforest took the story, as usual, from Bandello. The comic scenes appear to have been entirely the production of Shakspeare. It is not impossible, however, that the circumstances of the Duke sending his Page to plead his cause with the Lady, and of the Lady's falling in love with the Page, &c. might be borrowed from the fifth Eglog of Barnaby Googe, published with his other original Poems in 1563.

Agust 6, 1607, a comedy called What you Will, (which is the second title of this play,) was entered at Stationers' Hall by Tho.Thorpe. I believe, however, it was Marston's play with that name. Ben Jonson, who takes every opportunity to find fault with Shakspeare, seems to ridicule the conduct of Twelfth Night in his Every Man out of his Humour, at the end of Act III. sc. vi. where he makes Mitis say, "That the argument of his comedy might have been of some other nature, as of a duke to be in love with a countess, and that countess to be in love with the duke's son, and the son in love with the lady's waiting maid: some such cross wooing, with a clown to their serving man, better than be thus near and familarly allied to the time.

STEEVENS,

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna.

ANGELO, Lord Deputy in the Duke's absence.
ESCALUS, an ancient Lord, joined with Angelci
the deputation.

CLAUDIO, a young Gentleman.
LUCIO, a Fantastic.

Two other like Gentlemen.

VARRIUS, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke.
PROVOST.

THOMAS, Two Friars.
PETER,

A JUSTICE.

ELBOW, a simple Constable.

FROTH, a foolish Gentleman.

CLOWN, Servant to Mrs. Over-done.

ABHORSON, an Executioner.

BARNARDINE, a dissolute Prisoner.

ISABELLA, Sister to Claudio.

MARIANA, betrothed to Angelo.

JULIET, beloved by Claudio.

FRANCISCA, a Nun.

Mrs. OVER-DONE, a Bawd.

Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other

Attendants.

Scene, Vienna.

匍

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

ACT I.

SCENE I-An Apartment in the DUKE's Palace. Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, LORDS, and Attendants.

Duke. Escalus,

Escal. My lord.

Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse; Since I am put to know, that your own science, Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice

My strength can give you then no more remains,
But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able,
And let them work. The nature of our people,
Our city's institutions, and the terms,

For common justice, you are as pregnant in,
As art and practice hath enriched any

That we remember: there is our commission,

From which we would not have you warp.-Call hi

ther,

I say, bid come before us Angelo.

[Exit an Attendant.
What figure of us think you he will bear?
For you must know, we have with special soul
Elected him our absence to supply;

Lent him our terror, drest him with our love;
And given his deputation all the organs
Of our own power: What think you of it?
Escal. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

Enter ANGELO.

Duke. Look, where he comes.

Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will,

I come to know your pleasure.

Bounds.

VOL. I

+ Full of.

LI

Duke. Angelo,

There is a kind of character in thy life,
That, to the observer, doth thy history
Fully unfold: thyself and thy belongings.
Are not thine own so proper t, as to waste
Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee.
Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do;
Not light them for ourselves for if our virtues
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd,

But to fine issues: nor nature never lends
The smallest scruple of her excellence
But like a thrifty goddess, she determines

Herself the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and use §. But I do bend my speech To one that can my part in him advértise;

Hold therefore, Angelo;

In our remove, be thou at full ourself;

Mortality and mercy in Vienna

Live in thy tongue and heart: old Escalus,
Though first in question, is thy secondary:
Take thy commission.

Ang. Now, good my lord,

Let there be some more test made of my metal,
Before so noble and so great a figure

Be stamp'd upon it.

Duke. No more evasion:

We have, with a leaven'd and prepared choice,
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
Our haste from hence is of so quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concerning shall impórtune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befal you here. So, fare you well:
To the hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commissions.

Ang. Yet, give leave, my lord,

That we may bring you something on the way.
Duke. My haste may not admit it;

Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any scruple: your scope is as mine own;
So to enforce, or qualify the laws,

As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand

• Endowments.
For high purposes.
Extent of power.

So much thy own property. 9 Interest.